Dr. Wykia Macon New CED At Vance Cooperative Extension Center

/by

Vance County native Dr. Wykia Macon has been chosen to be the director of the Vance County Cooperative Extension.

Macon has been the county’s 4-H agent since July 2020, and began her new role as cooperative extension director just a couple of weeks ago on Aug. 1.

“I am excited to support Cooperative Extension as we bring more relevant and useful programs that will benefit the community,” Macon stated in a press release. “I am very grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to further serving the community of Vance County in this capacity.

She is a 2005 graduate of Southern Vance High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Learn more about Macon’s commitment to her community, her work with the Peace Corps and her vision for how cooperative extension can work within the county on Monday, when she will be the featured guest on TownTalk. Tune in at 11 a.m. or listen to the podcast later.

VGCC Logo

Franklin County’s Novozymes Endows VGCC Scholarship

/by
  • information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

A global biotech company with a facility in Franklin County has endowed a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College.

Novozymes and VGCC recently announced the $15,000 gift, which currently could be up to $500 based on the level of investment income generated. Current VGCC students or newly enrolled students are eligible to receive the scholarship award based on their academic achievement.

“This scholarship presents another wonderful opportunity to expand resources that will allow us to educate, inspire, and support a diverse community of learners to achieve professional and personal success,” stated Tanya Weary, VGCC Foundation executive director.

Darren Alfano, head of People & Organization for Novozymes North America, made the presentation to VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais, Weary and other school officials during a recent visit to the VGCC Franklin Campus

“The biotechnology industry is growing at a record pace as biosolutions continue to be developed for more applications every day,” Alfano commented. “From the food you eat to the clothes you wear, biosolutions are part of all of our daily lives. We are excited to partner with Vance-Granville Community College in providing high quality education to the future biotech workforce in our local communities.”

Considered a world leader in their field, Novozymes’ biosolutions enable everything from more drought-tolerant crops to cold water laundry washing to advancements in renewable energy. The company has expanded to serve 30-plus industries across 130 markets with enzymatic, microbial, advanced protein and digital solutions.

While the roots of international parent organization Novo Group reach back a century to the 1920s, Novozymes has had a presence in Franklin County since 1979, when the company arrived in North Carolina to establish its North America headquarters along with a manufacturing plant in Franklinton. Novozymes quickly formed a relationship with Vance-Granville Community College when the college’s Franklin Campus opened at its current location, and the company was instrumental in the construction of the campus’s biotech lab in 2001.

The VGCC Foundation offers over 300 endowments for scholarships VGCC students—more endowed scholarships than any other program of its kind in North Carolina. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, and churches, as well as the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Foundation have often been used to honor a person, group, business, or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call 252.738.3409.

The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Air Filters

/by

 

— For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Air filters play a vital role in preventing dirt, grit and other impurities from fouling vehicle engines. In the old days, the air filter casing was pretty easy to spot: it was round like a donut and sat right up there on top in a housing that resembles a frying pan.

At least that’s how WIZS co-host John Stevenson said he describes it. These days, however, an air filter is likely found in a rectangular housing near the inside of one of the fenders.Stevenson and colleague Bill Harris discussed the finer points of air filters on the Pop the Hood segment of The Local Skinny!

Let the folks at Advance Auto Parts help you figure out the right type for your make and model.

With just a few bits of information – make, model, year and/or the VIN – the staff at Advance Auto can help you determine the exact type of filter you need.

The air filter should be changed annually – more often, though, if you drive along dusty areas like gravel roads or other places that kicks up dirt.

A clogged air filter can affect your vehicle’s overall performance, Stevenson said.

“It can affect your gas mileage and could throw a check engine light,” he said.

And if your vehicle rolled off the assembly line earlier than 1989, don’t go looking for its cabin air filter – they were first introduced in 1989.

 

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

 

CLICK PLAY!

 

Local Businesses Invited To Show Up, Cheer On VCS Educators At Aug. 22 Convocation

/by

The Vance County Chamber of Commerce invites local businesses to turn out for the back-to-school Convocation planned for Tuesday, Aug. 22 for Vance County Schools educators.

Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson said it’s a fun celebration and an opportunity to show support for teachers as they come together in advance of the first day of class for traditional-calendar students on Monday, Aug. 28.

According to school officials, teachers will arrive by bus between 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., and all community “cheerleaders” can line the entrance to McGregor Hall to provide well wishes for a successful school year.

It’d be cool to see some of those familiar business mascots, too – yep, we’re talking to you, Pete the Cat, Chick-fil-A cow, Sparky the Dog and Mikey the Shark…are there others?

 

 

 

Local Elections Office Ready To Provide Voter ID Cards For Those Who Need One

/by

UPDATED Aug. 10 – 12:30 p.m.

Registered voters who do not have an acceptable identification for voting in NC can now go to their county board of elections office to get a free photo ID.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Melody Vaughan said Wednesday afternoon that her office is ready to help voters who find they need one of the cards. There is an application that voters must complete before they will be issued an ID, Vaughan stated.

“We can provide this service Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.,” Vaughan said in an email to WIZS News, with the exception of Friday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 14 and Aug. 15. Staff will be attending a conference out of town and no ID cards will be processed on those days.

Most voters have a driver’s license, which is an acceptable form of photo ID to present to poll workers in order to cast their votes.

If you have a driver’s license – or other acceptable form of photo ID – you don’t need to get one from the board of elections office.

If however, you need a photo ID, you can come to your county’s board of elections office during business hours to request one. In most cases, the cards can be printed and issued right then and there, according to information from the North Carolina State Board of Elections office. Some counties, however, may need to mail the cards or let voters know when the card is available for pickup.

Find a list of acceptable forms of photo ID here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

A voter need only provide his or her name, date of birth and last four digits of their Social Security number to get the ID. With that information, they’ll have a photograph taken and the process is complete.

In addition to the photo, the card will have the voter’s name and registration number. It will expire 10 years from the date of issuance.

County boards of elections can issue cards during regular business hours, except for the period following the last day of early voting through Election Day.

 

Crossroads Christian School

SportsTalk: Volleyball And Soccer Gets Underway At Crossroads Christian

/by

The beginning of the school year is a busy time not only for students and teachers but for athletic departments as well.  Just ask Crossroads Christian Athletic Director Scottie Richardson.  “We are wide open. We have open house on Monday and school starts on Wednesday,” said Richardson.

Teams are already practicing and preparing for season openers.  The school’s three volleyball teams open at home on Thursday, August 17th against Thales-Apex and soccer will start on Friday, August 18th with a home game against Franklinton.

Holden Coghill, soccer coach at Crossroads, took the team to the final four last year and were ranked #1 all season. “The team got caught up in the hype,” Richardson said but he sees a different mentality this year and with most of the team returning he thinks they will be better prepared to handle the success.  He said the numbers of students that have turned out this year for athletics has been great.

 

One Woman Faces Drug Charges, Outstanding Warrants

/by

One woman faces drug charges and a slew of outstanding warrants from surrounding counties after members of the Narcotics Unit of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office  conducted a vehicle search.

According to a press statement issued Monday by Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame, Jessica Edwards was arrested on or about Aug. 4 at 1650 N. Garnett St.

Edwards was the driver of a vehicle that subsequently was searched by members of the narcotics unit.

Edwards faces charges of heroin possession, felony possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She also was served warrants on eight outstanding charges from Wake, Orange and Vance counties ranging from misdemeanor larceny to possession of counterfeit instrument/currency/check, possession of heroin and aiding and abetting impaired driving.

Edwards was placed under a $71,000 secured bond.

Vance County Logo

Fire Service Study Clears Hurdle

/by

It took about a half hour of discussion – some of it contentious at times –  as well as various motions and amendments to motions, but the Vance County Board of Commissioners formally approved on Monday the selection of a consulting agency to conduct a fire services study.

And although the board did ultimately accept giving the job to AP Triton as had been recommended by county staff, the board voted 4-3 that the public safety committee and the fire services commission, along with input from Acting County Manager Scott Elliott, would oversee the project.

That decision went against Elliott’s recommendation to the board, however.

The study is expected to take four months to complete and is going to cost more than $48,000. He said he would recommend that the study results come back to the full board for consideration.

Commissioner Dan Brummitt made the original motion that included awarding AP Triton the project “subject to project oversight” by the two groups.

During the ensuing discussion, several board members voiced objections.

Commissioner Tommy Hester said the full board called for the study and it should be the full board making decisions regarding the study.

Commissioner Archie Taylor said the study should provide “a neutral, honest look” at the fire service in the county.

Brummitt maintained that “significant misinformation” surrounding the county fire services had been bandied about in recent months and wants to ensure that the process of the study remain neutral.

Commissioner Leo Kelly said he would prefer to follow Elliott’s recommendation that the full board use its regular work sessions to monitor the study as it is being conducted.

As the discussion among the board members escalated over the course of 15 minutes, Chairwoman Yolanda Feimster declared a five-minute break and then left the commissioners’ conference room. Upon her return, she declared the meeting back in session, with a motion on the floor.

The board then voted to amend Brummitt’s original motion to simply approve awarding the study to AP Triton.

When that motion passed without opposition, Brummitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Carolyn Faines, that the public safety committee, fire services commission and the county manager provide project oversight of the study.

During discussion, Taylor again questioned the rationale, and Elliott interjected that in speaking with the AP Triton representatives, he was assured that they would “be making an independent analysis” of county services, and that the study would not be driven by a subgroup of the full board.

The motion passed 4-3.